


Freed From Our Shackles

by Lil_Hedgepig



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Good Lotor (Voltron), Horror, Medical Experimentation, Moral Dilemmas, Psychological Horror, Romantic Fluff, Science Fiction, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26141038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lil_Hedgepig/pseuds/Lil_Hedgepig
Summary: Allura and Lotor find themselves prisoners aboard a Galran war-class frigate after the rest of Voltron escaped with Sendak's encrypted battleplans. As they face the horrors of druidic Quintessence magic and its terrible properties, they learn that some shackles aren't physical. Pre-S6 Finale.
Relationships: Allura/Lotor (Voltron)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	1. The Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> Back around this same time in 2018, I posted the roleplay that I had with another member of the Voltron community titled "Their Fragile Reunion" and posted to fanfiction.net. At the time, I said that I wasn't able to acquire any contact details to continue that thread of the plot and left it at that. Well, as luck would have it, I was on Shamchat (the old Shamchat, before it gave up the ghost) and stumbled into them again without realizing it. We successfully made the translation to a long-term platform and managed to continue the roleplay for nearly two years afterward, netting nearly 150k words in pure story. We recently went on a pretty substantial hiatus over the beginning of the year and I talked it over with them and they were okay with me posting it. So, here it is.

Allura had made a slight miscalculation.

Her plan had pretty good odds of succeeding, but when it came down to working under pressure, the Princess lacked a certain tolerance that the other members of Voltron possessed.

She thought she had made the right decision in sacrificing herself by sealing off the exit so the others could escape the Galran flagship in one piece. With the number of Galran sentries behind her, there was little chance that she would manage to get away a second time. She had expected to be tossed into a prison cell. She hadn't expected to find one of the other members of Voltron there with her, and when she found out that it was Price Lotor who joined her in the cell, she was even more in shock.

For Lotor, this cell felt like home. This wasn't the first time that he had been caged by his kind, considering he was a bit of a disciplinary case in his younger days. In any other circumstance, being alone with her wouldn't be an issue but the feeling of an aching bruise beginning to form on his jaw after he received a blow from one of the sentries left him in a less preferable state.

He leaned his head against the back wall of the cell and stared at the ceiling, his hand massaging his jaw. "I think that went rather well."

"It played out a lot better in my head," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head as she looked worriedly at his bruising. "I'm very sorry, Lotor. I suppose I lack the tactical insight that you and others seem to have."

Lotor waved a dismissive hand. "It's alright, Princess. It could have been much worse. Did they hurt you?"

"Not a scratch. It wouldn't have mattered. I'm far more worried about you right now, to be truthful. I'm sure we'll make a great gift to the Galran warlords, don't you think?"

Lotor chuckled lightly. "I'm sure that Sendak will be pleased to see me again, especially after the events of the Kral Zal." His golden eyes scanned the cell. "We're much safer in here than anywhere else on this ship."

"We're also the most vulnerable here. I suppose the most we have going for us right now is that we're still several Vargas out from Sendak's fleet."

Lotor nodded, his voice quieting. "Enough time to sneak off the ship."

"I'm hoping the others made it back to the lions in time," she said. "There's no telling if they managed to track us."

He offered a small smile, ignoring the slight tingle of pain in his face from the tiny rip on his lower lip. "They will find you, Princess. They care for you, so they will always be able to find you."

"And you as well. I know they have reservations about you, but I know for certain that you're sincere and I'm going to stick by that."

He hummed in response and sat down on the floor, pulling his legs up. He laughed again. "Being in here brings back memories."

Allura sat down beside him, just shy of leaning against him. "I'm sure you're far too familiar with this setting. It's unfair that your father treated you the way he did."

He shook his head. "It wasn't all that bad. The majority of my time in a cell was not because of Zarkon. I may have had a bit of a temper when I was younger. I've long since outgrown it, but when it comes to the mockery and the snide comments about my bloodline?" He raised a hand to the bruise on his cheek. "Let's just say that this isn't the worst that I've taken."

"I don't think I could stand a day of living through what the typical Galra does."

"I'm sure you would have become a commander by the end of the day, considering how well I've seen you handle yourself in battle, Princess."

"I suppose, but I'm definitely no general. I may excel in diplomacy, but I lack strategy. I still have much to learn as a warrior."

"You're a capable learner, Princess. If we manage to get ourselves out of this mess, perhaps I'll have the opportunity to teach you."

"You would? I would be indebted to you if you did that for me."

"Of course, but we still have other matters to concern ourselves with. If they don't send guards to check on us eventually, they contact someone higher up to do it. They tend to do that with the more dangerous prisoners. It's quite entertaining to see the sentries get thrown down hallways when they think they can handle level five prisoners." He thought about it. "They might even send Haggar for us."

"I'd rather have Sendak personally pay us a visit," she said, wrapping her arms around herself. "While the thought of who they might send is worrying, I'm more terrified of them separating us."

"That is certainly a possibility," he admitted before setting a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "Whatever happens, I am confident that you will return to your team safely."

Allura couldn't help but lean into his touch. "Lotor, you say that as if you believe we're not both going to make it back."

"That is also a possibility that I'm conscious of." He glanced away from her. "My concern is for your escape first."

Allura turned towards him as he turned away from her. She sighed. It struck her heart to know that he cared so much about her to the point he'd even give up thinking about his safety. She would never consciously abandon him here to suffer whatever fate Sendak or even Haggar might have in store for him, even if that meant staying right here in the cell with him.

"I'm not going to leave you," she said finally. "I couldn't leave you here, Lotor."

Lotor fell still, blinking at her in surprise. He knew that she considered him an ally and that her trust in him was sincere, but to go as far as to risk her life for his? His generals would have done the same, but then he was their leader and they would have been compelled by duty.

Still, someone who values his own life alongside theirs? It felt foreign.

"Thank you." He didn't cover up the surprise in his tone.

"You're welcome," she said, standing and brushing herself off. She glanced back at him with a warm smile, offering him her hand to help him stand. "Now that's settled, let's get started with making sure we don't have to worry about that happening, shall we?"

He smiled back and took her hand, standing up and getting himself sorted out. "Of course, your highness."

Allura turned back to the door and peered out of the small opening near the top before turning back to examine the entirety of the cell. She paced the back wall of the cell, her hands following the outlines of the metal paneling with her hand. She stopped short, curling her fingers into the indentation. Cool air blew onto her fingers. The panel itself was not completely fastened to the wall.

"This is it! I think we have a way out!"

Lotor moved over to the panel. "Is that an access panel? Well done, Princess!" His ears perked up to the sound of the chatting guards just outside of the door. "We'll have to hurry. That someone might be coming to collect us soon."

She nodded and pried the panel away from its place. It opened to a sizable ventilation shaft. "I think we'll both be able to crawl through without any issue."

"You go first! I'll keep an eye on the door. Hurry!"

The tight space proved a more formidable foe than she had first anticipated, but once she managed to fit herself into the length of the vent, she peered over her shoulder. "Lotor, let's go!"

"No time," he called after her. "Just go!" She heard the whirling of the cell door's machinery. Lotor fastened the panel back over the vent.

"Lotor, I—"

She stopped herself when she heard multiple feet step into the cell. She held her breath, waiting to discern a voice. Any conversation that had happened outside of the cell had ceased almost immediately. Allura gasped at the sound of a loud zapping and a thud against metal. She fought the urge to call out for him, tears forming in her eyes as he forced herself to face forward. Scurrying down the length of the ventilation shaft, it took all her focus to keep from losing her balance and stumbling onto her side.

She had made him a promise and she'd fulfill that promise.

It took several minutes of dead-ends and backtracking to find a place where she could drop out of the system and still be hidden while doing it. The adrenaline had begun to wear off and her claustrophobia kicked in. The last thing she needed was a panic attack.

The room below her was a quartering room. The walls were lined with different sized lockers for the on-duty sentries. She shifted onto her back and kicked in the grate, sending it clattering to the floor. She felt the kick of even more panic as she stumbled out of the vent and into the room.

"What was that?" It was the voice of a sentry nearby.

"If it's another stowaway creature I'm throwing it out the airlock," growled his companion.

Allura dropped into the room about the same time that the locking mechanism on the door clicked open. She slipped into an empty locker and pulled the door towards her. There was just enough of a gap for her to see to the end of the row with one eye.

The two sentries entered. They looked around before the larger of the two clicked his weapon off with a disappointing tsk. He leaned the weapon up against the wall. "The ship is falling apart. See that grate? We'll have to report it."

The other sentry moved closer. "Something busted through here. The metal's dented from the inside," he said, although the larger one was disinterested now.

"You hear that they're pulling Lotor down for interrogation? Man, I wish I could see it. I sure as hell wouldn't want to be a part of it. I may hate the half-breed, but I don't think I could torture anyone."

_Gods, he's still alive!_

She awarded herself a gentle breath. She still had a shot at saving him somehow and getting them both off of the ship. That moment shattered at the sound of a third voice – a female voice.

"What are you two doing? We have a level four prisoner loose somewhere on this ship and you're standing here chatting like you're on break? Get out there and find her!"

The two sentries snapped into attention and saluted her before they sprinted out of the room, leaving the female commander there alone at the door. She sighed heavily and shook her head. "If it wasn't for Sendak's orders, I would have ripped that girl's throat out," she said through gritted teeth before leaving the room.

Allura dropped her head back once more, catching her breath. She pushed the locker door away and stepped out of her hiding place. A smirk crossed her face when she took the abandoned rifle.

_Let's see if she prefers doing that after I become a level five escapee._

Her knowledge of Galran weaponry was severely limited, but she knew her way around the basics of firearms enough to act like she was a threat. Pressing herself up against the edge of the doorframe, she glanced up either direction of the hallway. She could hear the barking orders of various patrols moving throughout the floor. Equipped with the rifle, she felt bold – bold enough to try and slip by them. Even if they did see her, she'd have a better chance at running away as they fired at her instead of being holed up in a room with no exits, and her luck allowed her to cover a lot of ground without being followed.

That is until she turned a corner and came face-to-face with a lonely sentry. They both raised their guns at each other and then everything paused. The Galran sentry was at least a few inches shorter than her and trembling terribly. "S-Stop!"

_Oh, and he's young!_

"I don't suppose you can be persuaded to forget that you ever saw me?" she asked, apologetic, before pursing her lips. He barely could stand to look her in the eye. After sighing, she lowered her gun. "Please. You know who I am, and you know what I'm trying to do. Lotor is on this ship and a future where the Galran empire is ever united depends entirely on him being alive."

Admittedly, it was a longshot, but she prided herself on her diplomatic ability and cooperative nature. She was convinced that any show of force might have caused the little sentry to faint and she thought it too cruel to exploit such a weakness.

The sentry said nothing, although he began to quake in his combat suit even more. "I-I'm…"

The weapon fell out of his hands and fell towards the ground, suspended by the strap fastened around his shoulder. His voice became a whisper. "I-I… I want to help you."

Allura blinked. "Oh?"

He gave a nod. "It's awful here. If you have a chance at escaping, I want to help you take it. I can lead the other patrols away from you. C-Cause a diversion so that you can get to Lotor. He's in the third sector behind the black steel doors." He raised the visor of his helmet, showing a purple scar that deeply cut across his right eye to the point it was clear it couldn't see. "You have to be careful. They do awful things in there."

Allura brought the rifle up to lay across her arms, staring widely at the sight of his eye before he took a breath. "I will," she told him. "I promise they will pay for what they have done. I'm learning more and more that some of you aren't as nasty as others. I'm dedicated to protecting the innocent. That includes you." She glanced behind her before swallowing. "If you think you can keep them from the stairs, I'll be okay when I get over there."

He nodded quickly and gave her the traditional Galran salute of respect, saying, "Vrepit Sa. Be careful, ma'am," before picking up his rifle again. Though his timid voice still betrayed him, his expression was one of determination. He turned tail and rushed down the hallway, stopping briefly at an intersection and waving down its length. "Over here! She's getting away!"

She wouldn't wait around to see the patrol follow after him. She renewed her pace, moving towards where she believed the staircase to be. Upon reaching it, she paused and took in a heavy breath. Just above her, a sign bolted into the wall bore some Galran text and, below it, a three with an arrow pointing down.

"Gods, I hope you know that I'm coming for you, Lotor."


	2. Third Sector

The third sector of the frigate held the interrogation chambers, but its floorspace was virtually empty. Allura had no trouble with guards keeping her from traversing its looming corridors. Aside from the terrifying holding cells and scorched doors at the very end of one of the major hallways, there was little of interest.

The roaring that she heard from the floors above wasn’t roaring at all, but the chorus of agonized wails that came from beyond those scorched doors. Coupled with faint whispers of voices coming from the darkness beyond the cell doors, nothing was left to Allura’s imagination. This was a place of torture and suffering, and she felt it as she stepped towards the scorched doors with bated breath.

The apparent absence of Galran security allowed her to pick up the pace. This was a precious opportunity to locate Lotor and get out. She prayed deeply that they could leave without being fired upon. Stopping, she pressed her ear against the short gap between the two huge slabs of steel.

“Have you made any progress with the half-breed?” came a muffled voice, deep within the chamber beyond.

“No, not yet. He will break soon enough. I am very good at what I do,” came the reply. The ice in his voice sent a shiver up Allura’s spine. The heavy doors did little to stop the clarity of his voice. “If not,” he continued, “I will leave him like that and move onto the Altean. This half-breed is quite resilient, so I suppose the empire did one thing good by him. He’s gone quiet, though. I suspect he threw out his voice from screaming.”

When she heard their footsteps fade into the distant chambers, Allura pulled back to look over the door. There were no locks, almost as if they knew no one could get out.

She rolled her shoulders and pulled the door open enough to make sure that the ones talking had moved on. She slipped, closing the door behind her. She followed the perimeter of the room, slightly crouched. She didn’t have the slightest clue where they were holding Lotor, and the number of doors leading out of this chamber overwhelmed her. Panic crawled up her back like a scorpion, eating up every thought that she had of wasting all of her time opening useless doors. She couldn’t make the mistake of letting someone out who was better off staying inside, either.

After several scans of the room, she realized that the cells seemed to be on one half of this chamber while the other half held smaller rooms whose doors had viewing windows. She could hear screaming coming from a few of them. Her eye caught the glow of electricity coming from underneath a door at the very back of the chamber, separated from the rest. Anyone in the Galran empire would have considered Lotor a prized prisoner and would have kept him away from the rest of the population. She sat her ear against the space between the door and the wall and listened before pulling back to look through the viewing window.

She gasped at the sight of Lotor’s empty expression on his face and a violet, glowing hue in his wide eyes. There was nothing but horror in them now, and they looked more like orbs than eyes, cracks stretching out from the corners. His body hung from the wall, rigid against the bonds, twitching.

Allura’s heart began to beat harder. “Oh, Lotor,” she breathed, her voice barely a hoarse whisper. She looked down at the handle, pushing the door inward and crouching fully as she entered. She set her back against the wall just beside the door and took great care in closing it.

The controls were in front of him, as well as a machine checking his vital signs, signaling that he was alive with a racing heart and an abundance of adrenaline. An enormous electrical burn split the side of his armor while charcoal blank marks colored the front.

Her ear perked up at the sound of distant voices, one of them carrying with it the clarity of coldness from before, responding to the begging of another prisoner. She drew in a breath to ease her nerves, rising and scurrying over to the controls. She didn’t understand Galran well enough to make out the inputs and desperately began pulling levers and twisting dials to disable whatever hellish contraption that they had rigged him up to.

At the flick of a switch, the restraints flickered and fizzled out. Lotor dropped to the ground with a thud, rolling onto his side with his eyes staring at her feet. The twitching had worsened and became trembling as if he was trapped in his head and suffering from a nightmare that he couldn’t escape.

Allura rushed over, dropping to her knees beside him as he brought him up into her arms, her rifle sliding onto the floor beside her. She took Lotor’s hand. “Lotor, oh, Gods…” she managed, the anxiety and pain swelling inside of her. “I… I don’t suppose you can hear me?”

She nearly jumped at the feeling of a weak squeeze. She swallowed hard and managed a trembling smile although it didn’t live long in the presence of the remnants of tears that had dried on his face. She said a quick prayer to herself, standing up with Lotor and moving his arms around her shoulders. She anticipated guiding him to be more difficult, but it was like instinct was moving him forward, though he stumbled a bit.

Just before Allura pulled the door leading out of the torture chamber open, a group of soldiers entered from the main doors. She saw the Galran that helped her before on the being thrown to the ground, heavily battered as he curled up on his side and covered his head.

A figure that looked strangely like one of Haggar’s druids greeted the leader of the group with a hand raised.

“This stupid little runt decided to betray his empire by letting the Altean escape,” the leader explained.

The druid knelt and picked up the terrified Galran by the fur on his head. Her other hand extended out, energy crackling from her fingers. He yelped.

“Will you beg, child?” she asked.

The sentry turned away and looked straight at Allura and then at Lotor. With a sudden rush of courage and determination, he raised his hands to claw at the wrist that held him.

The druid shrieked as she dropped him, and the sentry took off through the startled crowd beyond the main doors before being pursued by the rest, including the furious druid.

Allura remained for a long moment after.

_Do I inspire this much hope?_

She opened the door, holding tightly onto Lotor’s arms to make sure that he did not fall and give herself enough courage to face her thoughts. The image of the druid was imprinted on her mind, taking her back to her fight with Haggar.

_That witch!_

They were not to be taken lightly. She knew that all too well now.

Retracing her steps, she hoped the stairs would still be her best bet. The layout of the ship was a mystery to her so finding a hanger and a ship seemed near impossible.

She paused when Lotor raised a hand to feel for what was in front of him. He made a quiet sound in the back of his throat. His once-horrified expression now simmered to a more neutral state. He still couldn’t see.

The druid’s angry shrieks bounced along the hallways as she tried to find the loose sentry. The sound made Lotor flinch violently and whimper.

“Quiznak,” Allura grumbled. She doubled her pace down the length of the corridor and glanced at Lotor. An uneasy sigh escaped before she whispered, “You’re safe now, Lotor. I’ll make sure it stays that way.”

All the druid had to do to break that promise was throw open the steel doors and stare down the length of the hallway to see her just barely managing to escape with Lotor. All the commotion made her doubt she’d make it to the stairs without getting caught up in it.

Lotor halted them in their tracks. He stood upright, looking straight down the hallway beside him. The arm around Allura’s shoulders suddenly held her close to protect her as he listened. Aside from the distant shrieking of the druid, there was nothing but an uneasy silence.

Admittedly, she shifted nervously but she didn’t force their movement forward. She closed her eyes before taking in his closeness to alleviate the tension stored within her. After a moment, she followed his gaze down the other hallway and took a step a foot in that direction.

_What are you listening to, Lotor?_

Lotor pulled Allura away from the hallway and instead made for one of the empty quarter rooms.

_You’ll be safe here, I promise._

Once inside, Allura took both of his hands and faced him. Enamored by his ability to stand on his own now, she looked into his still-blinded expression.

_Oh, someone is coming!_

Lotor crouched by the door at the same moment he heard footsteps coming from around the corner, and when what turned out to be a guard passed by the open doorway, Lotor lunged at him and knocked him the ground. The impact cracked the visor of his helmet, cutting up his face from the inside.

Allura gasped, sticking out her arm after him as she stumbled forward. “Lotor!” she cried in a blind panic before she covered her mouth as she watched.

Lotor rummaged through the outfit of the guard until he pulled an access card from his pocket. The hand that now held it was covered in bluish blood. The guard groaned painfully.

_Don’t kill him, Lotor! Let’s go!_

Lotor grabbed the shock-baton and slipped into one of his armor’s cavities before standing and gripping Allura’s hand tightly. He pulled her along.

She offered no resistance but fixed her eyes on the guard laying on the floor in perpetual agony, wondering if he realized what he had done.

They made it to a staircase. Lotor kept his free hand on the wall as he guided Allura with an elegance that would have made even a guard wonder if he had done this before. Nearing the base of the stairs, he retrieved the baton and pressed the button. It crackled with live electricity.

They followed the hallway to a hangar. Lotor let go of Allura’s hand and sprinted towards a guard standing beside the door.

Allura slowed until she stopped, placing a hand across her mouth as Lotor reached the sentry. She shut her eyes, letting her ears capture the scene for her. She heard the body drop to the floor and she walked fast to catch up to him. _This is necessary_ , she told herself. _Gods, he is a warrior at heart._

Once Lotor scanned the access card, he let it fall along with the shock baton to the floor before staring blindly into the hanger. The trembling returned.

Allura joined him at his side, taking the hand that had held the baton. After a moment of consideration, she began to lead him in the direction of an aircraft. They didn’t have much time to think about the technicalities since the ship would now be crawling to the brim with guards searching high and low for them, most likely accompanied with orders to shoot on sight.

“We’re almost out of here, Lotor,” she said to him.

And upon hearing it, he stopped walking on his own. Allura caught him before he hit the floor and pulled him back to his feet, dragging him onto one of the carriers. She glanced at the controls before sitting him down against the back wall of the ship.

She stepped back to the ramp to close the door but she stopped when a familiar face came limping up into the ship. He waved his hands at her. “Ma’am? Ma’am, it’s me!”

“Oh, I’m so pleased you made it,” she said. “I was so worried they would have killed you back there. Come on, now is our best chance to get out of here. I’m praying you can fly this.”

He dragged himself onto the aircraft, nodding. He slumped into the pilot’s seat. “I-I’m not supposed to, but I c-can try.” He wiped off the blood running down his nose before pressing a button to power up the ship. He smiled when the engine hummed to life. “… L-Lotor wasn’t so lucky. I didn’t know M-Madok was on b-board… I don’t go into sector three ever.”

“I understand why now,” she replied. “It looked like they were pumping that tainted Quintessence magic that the witch and her druids are so well known for using straight into his body.”

The sentry nodded. “M-Madok does that to almost all her p-prisoners… From what I heard; she makes you r-relive your worst memories.”

“That sounds horrendous,” she whispered, shaking her head. She stood just behind the pilot’s seat. “Are you alright? I know you took a few blows back there yourself.”

The sentry smiled. “Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ll be okay after we get to a s-safe place.”

She felt another fresh wave of adrenaline pump through her veins as she gripped the back of the pilot’s seat with all of her might. The hanger doors opened, and the whirl of the engine became nearly deafening. Euphoria overtook her when she saw the stars swimming in the sea of darkness. She lurched against the sudden shift in gravity as they launched out of the hangar bay and into space.

The infinite star-covered universe was a welcome home, and nothing made her happier than to be as far away from a Galran prison cell.

When they got out of the range of the Galran frigate’s sensors, they ducked into a dust field and parked. “We should be okay now,” he said, looking over at Lotor. A look of amazement had captured his features. “I-I never thought I’d meet him in p-person. A lot of us l-look up to him.”

Allura smiled, letting her hands drop from the back of the pilot’s chair. “I’ve had the honor of working alongside him for some time now. I never truly imagined I’d find someone from the Galran empire that I, too, would look so highly upon.”

The sentry put the ship into auto-pilot and turned the chair to face him better. “H-He built up my already poor confidence… I-I’m a half-breed, too. I-I don’t know how long Madok’s treatment l-lasts… I’ve never been around to see the aftermath.”

Allura crossed her arms and wrapped them tightly around herself as she let her head drop, gaze focused entirely on Lotor now. “I hope for not very long,” she said softly. “I’ve been worried sick about him ever since we were separated.”

Lotor winced in his sleep, head rolling to the side for a moment. His fingers twitched against the ground. “… Nn… A-Allura…”

She quickly knelt beside him, unspeakable joy lighting up from the features on her face as she stared into the eyes of the prince. She carefully entwined her fingers with his as her other hand to clasp the back of his. “Gods, to hear your voice again, Lotor,” she whispered.

He visibly relaxed, eyes still closed. He shifted so his head rested against her shoulder, breathing out a soft sigh.

Allura made the sweetest of soft noises, instantly dedicated to supporting him and ensuring he was as comfortable as she could manage. Once settled, she looked up at the Galran sentry. “Even the most incredible of men in this universe suffer from weakness at one point,” she told him. “That is why it is important to look out for each other.”

The sentry nodded his head and pulled his knees to his chest, nestling into the chair. He set his chin on his arms. “… M-My name is Ladot. I don’t think I told you that. Y-You’re Princess Allura, right? The leader of V-Voltron?”

She smiled. “I don’t know if I’d call myself the leader,” she said. “Ladot, please know that what you did for the two of us was an incredible sacrifice. You have my undying gratitude.”

“Y-You and the rest of Voltron are heroes to the little guys like me…” he said. “I’d r-rather follow a leader like L-Lotor, too. I-If you hadn’t come along…” He shivered. “I-I don’t know if I would have survived on that ship.”

“No-one in the universe is little. Perhaps, at the moment, it seems like it, but together, we’ll make the biggest impact the universe has ever seen,” she assured him. “And we wouldn’t have made it off that frigate without you, either.”


	3. Nightmares and Hot Suns

The cabin had fallen quiet with the engines of the hovering vessel humming a lullaby for Lotor as he slept. The faint scars of Madok’s magic still glowed in the corner of his eyes, but they looked far less intense than before.

Allura found herself praying a lot more this trip. Though he needed it, the sight of him asleep was foreign to her, as if she had never thought him capable of exhaustion.

Ladot remained quiet as well, contently examining the controls of the vessel.

Allura looked up at him now, rolling her shoulders, sore from carrying him. “I don’t know how far off Voltron is from here. It’s going to be a while before I have a way to reach them over my comms.”

Ladot slipped off his seat and knelt beside Lotor, studying him. “Maybe we can find some way to help him in the meantime?”

“I could try something,” she mused softly, “but I don’t know if I can compete with magic as twisted as this.”

“What are you suggesting, Your Highness?” he asked, tilting his head.

“Our adventures together have taught me quite a bit about the extent of my abilities. I can channel my Altean energy and hopefully heal him.”

She cupped Lotor’s face with her hands before closing her eyes and slowing her breathing. The remnants of Madok’s magic reacted almost immediately as if preparing to resist her attempt to him heal him. As her magic began to work, the twisted Quintessence magic retreated further into his subconsciousness, pulling hers along with it.

In this state, everything around her had vanished. In the bleak darkness, she could make up distance voices stirring in his head.

_– Pathetic child!_

_– Have you no self-preservation, boy?_

_– I never wanted to be this way._

The darkness grew heavier with each comment, almost crushing her spirit. The voices that were once isolated and clear melted into a cacophony of angrier, louder voices. Even worse, amongst the chaos, she could hear Zarkon.

_– Shameful… Weak-minded, half-blood boy! What use are you to this empire if you cannot lead it?_

And then Madok’s laughter echoed in the space between the overlapping voices, sinister and bone-chilling as the druid herself.

In the distance, she could see a boy sitting alone in the darkness and crying into his knees. His pale hair draped over his lilac skin, trembling as he shook with each sob.

When Allura approached, the boy froze and gasped quietly. He scrambled to his feet but covered his face with his hands as his body turned towards her. He began to age in front of her until he was a young teen. The knuckles of his were bruised and bloody.

_– I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get so angry, Commander! Please, I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!_

His image shimmered in and out of existence. The voices around them grew to deafening volumes as the teen dropped to his knees. The voices belonging were eventually replaced by Lotor’s.

_– I can’t do this! I can’t! I can’t save them! I can’t do it! I can’t!_

Allura dropped to her knees with him, closing the distance between them and bending her will to focus on him alone. _You can, I promise. Whatever it is, I know you’re capable and you’re not alone._

The boy’s form stabilized, but he doubled over to curl in on himself.

_– I can’t let them see. I won’t let them see._

The darkness began to close in around them. She could feel her spirit bearing down under the weight and it made it hard to stay near to the boy. She felt the familiar rush of panic encroaching in on her awareness and it caused her to tremble and stumble. The boy’s sobbing resumed, growing louder and louder as Allura struggled in vain to reach him. There were now several feet between them seemingly without explanation.

But her spirit was unrelenting, and she would continue, regardless of the obstacles in her way. Before the end of it all, she held him in his arms.

The voices stopped.

The boy’s trembling stopped.

The encroaching darkness stopped.

His breath caught in his throat, tensing up so much that he went as still as stone.

Allura swallowed. She was too worried to move anymore.

Finally, she felt his head move a little, only to hide it against her shoulder. He raised his hands and hugged her. “I’m scared,” he whispered.

“I know,” she assured him, running her hand gently through his hair. “It’s okay to be scared.”

When she pulled back to look at him, he had changed into the Lotor that she knew, a look of pure and unadulterated confusion on his face.

_– Why is she so kind to me? How can anyone be as kind as her? I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve this kindness. I need… I…_

_I made you a promise._

He collapsed into her arms now and the tension and fear went away. He had given his spirit over to her.

The Lotor she knew bore the seeds of pain and suffering that could drive the strongest of men mad without complaint. He might live with the torment of the past for the rest of his life, but that would not stop Allura from being a part of his present.

When she saw him settle into her arms, she breathed a sigh of relief. She closed her eyes and placed a soft kiss to his forehead before opening his eyes again, not realizing that the transition back to reality had already taken place.

His own eyes stared back at him, misty with tears that fell freely down his face. “I’m… I’m so tired,” he managed with a shuddering breath.

Allura settled back so that they would be more comfortable against the wall of the ship. “I know,” she whispered. “Rest, Prince. You’ve earned it.”

He fell asleep against her. Disheveled, but content, she sighed again. She glanced up at Ladot and smiled proudly. “He’ll be okay,” she said to him. “I’m so happy to say he’ll be okay.”

Ladot rubbed the back of his head. “I-I will say, Your Highness, that was… a little scary to see. You just… sort of froze for a while. I was s-scared you wouldn’t break out of it.”

Allura shook her head. “I’m alright. He’s going to sleep now for a while, I think, hopefully without that druid’s magic tormenting his dreams.”

“Oh, G-Good,” he said before pointing at the windshield of the ship. “I-I moved us further away from the warship.”

“Even better,” Allura said before glancing back at Lotor. “I’ll let him sleep and when he awakes, I’ll try and get into contact with the Paladins. Have you any idea where we are?”

Ladot began messing with the controls, bringing up a charter on one of the holographic screens. “T-There’s a planet nearby that has enormous markets.”

“I think that’s a splendid idea. We could do with some food and a place to hide away for a bit. If I can’t get a hold of the others, then it’ll be some time before we’re somewhere safe for certain.”

Ladot nodded, glancing at Lotor. “And we n-need to pick up medical supplies. A-And maybe a new outfit for me… though I don’t think they’ll c-care too much.”

“Anything is fine as long as we don’t end up in any situations that could lead to more trouble,” she said. “I don’t know how far the knowledge of Voltron reaches outside of the Coalition’s influence. Not only that, but I’m also more worried that people will take notice of the temporal Galran emperor walking around a marketplace.”

“M-Maybe we can hide the ship, and I could go out in the market f-for a bit? I-If you’re not comfortable leaving him here in the ship alone, I-I could stay back with you, o-or you could.”

“No, I’d rather us stick together the whole time if we can. Though, hiding the ship isn’t a bad idea.”

Lotor stirred with a dazed groan. As Allura tended to him, his eyes slowly fluttered open. At first, he was confused as to where he was. He winced as he gripped his head loosely. “Allura…?”

“Easy now,” she told him softly. “I’m here. You took a pretty nasty beating from those interrogators, but we’re away from that now.”

“…Stars, my head…” he groaned, but there was a characteristic resilience to his speech now. He looked up at Ladot, who was staring wide-eyed at him. “Er, Hello.”

The small sentry was stunned, trying to say something but stuttering so much that he couldn’t understand himself.

Allura giggled lightly. “Lotor, this Ladot. He helped me rescue you from the interrogation room they had you in, and then again, he flew the cruiser this far,” she told him. “As you can probably tell, you’re a bit of a hero for him.”

“Hero?” he asked quietly before offering a kind but tired smile. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet our savior.”

Ladot pulled his knees up to his chest again. “I-I-I… T-Thank y-you— I mean, y-you, too— I mean—”

Allura’s giggling grew into a girlish laugh that settled upon her warm smile. “We’re going to hide out on a market planet for a while as I attempt to reach the Paladins. If we’re out of the range of the castle’s comms, we might be stuck here for several days if not longer.”

Ladot perked up with a thought. “A-Ah, we c-can try to upgrade the ship’s comms system with what they sell at the m-market!”

The ship, in response, rumbled as it entered the atmosphere of the planet. Rocky hills and jagged mountains dotted the dusty planet’s surface. As they crossed the ranges of red rocks, they beheld the city of tents and parked caravans, with ships from all over the universe littered around the outer rings of the market. They found a small outcrop of hills even further out to park themselves.

Allura’s attention drifted back to Lotor. “How are you feeling?” she asked him. “We have time if you think you need more rest before going out.”

“I’m…” He paused for a second. “… Feeling rather fine. I don’t think I’ve slept that well in ages, although the ship’s take-off was a bit rough.” He stood up on his own and offered her a warm smile. “I think I’ll be alright.”

He looked over at Ladot and furrowed his brow. The young Galran looked worse for wear. “Hopefully, one of these shops can provide us with medical supplies for you.”

Allura sighed. “I don’t know exactly how much we have in the way of currency. It might prove an issue unless dealers are willing to bargain here, although I’m pretty sure that’s the case. It’s a shame Coran isn’t here to do the bargaining for us.”

“I-I have some intergalactic credits of my own,” Ladot said. “I saved up for when I left my first s-station for good… I wanted to save for a r-robotic eye, but I don’t have nearly enough yet.”

“Don’t lose all hope yet. There’s always the possibility that things could go our way here,” Allura assured him. She stood and brushed herself off. “I am quite exhausted myself, so we most likely won’t shop for very long, but a hot meal would get us a long way, don’t you think?”

Ladot hopped down from the pilot’s seat, taking a moment to gain his balance. “I-I can buy that, yeah,” he said. “Let me get another data-pad.” He crossed the length of the ship and began to dig inside a locker against the far wall, near the ramp.

“I like him,” Lotor said quietly.

Allura smiled. “I’m glad. I might have never freed you if it weren’t for him. He’s honestly a hero in his own right.”

“He is very brave, especially if he stood up to Madok,” he replied, shuddering and bringing a hand up to his face.

Ladot returned with a small data-pad. “I have the currency uploaded onto here,” he said. “We should be a-all set.”

“That’s good,” Allura said. “It’ll be nice to walk around without Sendak’s men breathing down our necks. If we meet someone from the Coalition who has heard of us, I’m sure they can get us a message to the castle.”

Ladot was the first to leave the ship. The fur on his head seemed to fluff up in the heat of the desert air enough that Allura and Lotor saw the scar on the back of his head. He glanced back at them every so often to make sure they were keeping up but quickly looked away when he accidentally made eye contact with Lotor.

Allura supported Lotor down the ramp after the small Galran sentry. Upon seeing him jump at making eye contact with Lotor, she couldn’t help but smile. “I never imagined I’d come to find a Galran that seemed so precious.”

Lotor chuckled softly. “He seems very young. It almost reminds me of someone.”

Ladot looked around the landscape as they walked, reaching up and smoothing the fluffed-up hairs down.

“He has abundant potential,” Allura said before looking at the upcoming market city. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything this large. I know Space Malls are fairly common, but entire planet markets?”

Ladot scratched at the tuft of hair on his tender head. “I’ve n-never been to a Space Mall before, but I have been to one of these. You’ll f-find all sorts of things here, and a lot of the stores move around.”

Lotor rolled his eyes. “Don’t want to steal from any of the merchants, though, or you’ll have to deal with the entire ring.”

Allura shrugged. “Space Malls aren’t any kinder when it comes to mishaps in negotiations.” She glanced around the city before the rumbling of her stomach caught her attention. Her cheeks reddened his embarrassment.

“O-Oh, are you hungry?” he asked, his ears twitching. He began to look around quite excitedly before pointing to a traveling restaurant near the middle of the ring. “Y-You two go ahead and order. I-I can come back to pay after I wander the s-shops a bit. I’m not hungry. I g-guess almost dying spoils the appetite.”

“If you need help, just call for us,” she told him. “We’ll be there in a split. In fact, we can save you the trouble and just wait on getting food.”

Ladot waved his hands dismissively and spoke up quickly, “N-no, no, there’s no n-need for that y-your highness! I-I’ll be perfectly fine on my o-own! You two get something to eat!”

Allura blinked in wonder but smiled by the end. “Thank you, Ladot. Please stay safe, okay?”

The little Galran sentry spoke his promise and saluted them before disappearing in the crowds.

Lotor’s brows raised, a faint confusion on his face. “He’s an interesting character…”

“I find him precious,” she said. “For an empire brought up by warfare and brutality for the last ten thousand years, I’m surprised that there are still Galrans that have such potent hearts. It gives me hope.” And then, in a moment of decision, she reached over and pressed a finger to his chest. “You’re an example of that, too.”

He raised a brow and grinned, resting his hand over hers without thinking. “Is that so? I assure you I can still be as vicious as my people?” he said that playfully.

“Perhaps,” she mused, trying now to keep herself from blushing. “I’ll be sure to not set you off.” Her eyes met his face, clearing her throat. “Dinner, shall we?”

He stepped out of the way for her, releasing her hand. “After you, Princess.”


	4. Discussion Over Dinner

The owner of the restaurant in the middle of the market ring was a round man working alone in his kitchen surrounded by an open hut with a circular counter for patrons to sit down. When they approached the edge, he swung his head around to look at them, squinting his eyes. His two sets of arms came into view, the lower set working on main dishes while the upper set worked on sides and drinks.

“Customers?” he asked at them, looking between Allura and Lotor. “Servin’ the special today: Dust hog!”

“Dust hog?” Allura asked. “And what, ah, goes into that particular dish?”

“They’re the wild beasts that roam this land. Pretty hard to catch… we call ‘em dust hugs ‘because they kick up the dirt so fast ya’ can’t see ‘em charging at ya’,” he said, laughing. “Roasted, glazed, ‘n’ served with the off-world veggies.” His cutting knife flipped into the air before falling back down into another of his hands.

“That sounds good…?” Lotor said. He was rather impressed by watching the chef.

“We’ll take two of those dishes, please,” Allura said. She’d always been interested in dishes from the different cultures throughout the galaxy, and for good reason, since the Altean staple of diplomacy was a huge feast prepared in the cultural style of whatever people her father would have at the palace. Although, she never took up cooking.

As they found a table, Lotor couldn’t help but watch the chef work. He’d cooked before, but it was more out of survival than leisure. Having to set his ship down on a planet and hunt to survive? That happened far more often than he liked, and he tended to burn his food.

Allura’s attention fluttered around the different points surrounding the tent. She got lost in the dozens of different faces rushing by them, folding her arms across the top of the table.

“I’ve been to a market planet like this before,” Lotor said, recognizing a few of the species he’d come across in his travels. “Albeit, much smaller than this one and in a rougher side of the galaxy.”

“I forget sometimes how fledgling I still am in my experience with most things. It feels like I’ve been moving across the universe with Voltron for a lifetime now.”

He chuckled. “I should bring you to planets like these more often. You learn a lot about how different cultures interact and meet more friendly faces like Ladot.”

“Most of my knowledge comes from working beside my father. We spent so much time serving as the galaxy’s arbiter that I became more interested in solving the problem than learning how the cultures interacted,” she admitted. “I’ve never known how to approach situations outside of advocating for peace. My father made it a point to always keep away from intrinsic bias.”

He hummed in thought. “Galran training taught to keep everyone around us at an arm’s length and speak to no-one unless necessary.” He gestured with a nod to two people standing a ship nearby. “At first glance, I can tell you that one of them is from a frost-bitten planet while the other is from a more tropical one.”

“I couldn’t tell you anything, unfortunately. I tend to fare better when I’m articulating people’s qualities in the sense of their part to play rather than their characteristics.”

The meals dropped in front of them and they both looked up to see the chef with a large smile on his face, using one of his four arms to wipe his sweat-covered forehead with a rag. The aroma of the cooking did not hold back in flooding their senses.

“I’m surprised,” Allura admitted. “It smells much better than I first imagined. It’s truly incredible what people can do with food.”

“Why, thank you, miss’a ma’am! I may not see so good, but I can smell when it’s ready. You both enjoy now,” he said, squinting his eyes at Lotor for a second before turning and wandering to another part of the hut.

Lotor’s ears twitched very slightly when he took a bite. “… This is good!”

Allura took up a fork and knife and began to cut it into smaller pieces before taking a bite of her own. “Truly,” she said after a moment, the light in her eyes glistening as she treated herself to another one.

Lotor paused after he ate a bit more. “I wonder if we could take some of this to Ladot,” he said. “I hope he would accept it as a bit of a thank you.”

“He deserves thanks,” Allura agreed. “He’s done so much for us and I can’t begin to think of how to properly repay him.” She looked over the back of her chair and began to look for the sentry, a soft smile of her features when she spotted him. “I’m so proud of him.”

It wasn’t long before Ladot made his way back over to them, holding a bag of his purchased items. “O-Okay, I have a medkit, a signal b-booster, and two extra charges for the rifle… A-And I’ve already paid for the m-meals so we won’t have to worry about that.”

“Well, you’ve done your fill, Ladot,” she told him, sliding her plate over to him. “Please, sit and eat. I set aside this half just for you.”

“W-What?” he asked, looking between Allura and Lotor. “Y-You didn’t have to d-do that for me.”

“Oh, please. My saving a small part of my meal is minuscule in comparison to you saving our lives. You’ve sacrificed so much for us this far, and you don’t seem like you plan on stopping. You’ll need to keep your strength up for that.”

“We insist,” Lotor agreed, gesturing to the open chair. “Let us give you a little thanks.”

Ladot hesitated, looking to the food. He sat down finally and pulled the bag off his shoulders, setting it against the leg of the chairs. He stared at his food for several moments before taking a timid bite of the foot. The moment his mouth closed over the bite, his eyes lit up and he began to eat more.

Allura beamed, sharing a brief look with Lotor. “Good, isn’t it?” she asked after a moment. “It has to be a delicacy here.”

Ladot nodded his head, swallowing. “It’s amazing! I’ve never had anything like this before. What is it?”

Allura raised her eyebrows in surprise at his sudden confidence and excitement. His stutter had even seemed to disappear.

“It’s a cut of a native hog, according to the chef,” she told him. “Everything in the dish is probably local, I imagine. It seems unlikely that imported products could match this quality.”

It’s very smokey!” Ladot continued. “I like it a lot!” He looked over at the chef, admiring him like a child excited by the world. “I wonder if he caught it himself! Or, maybe one of the other vendors gave it to him. There were many shops selling meats and spices and vegetables and—” He stopped. “… S-Sorry.”

“Oh, no! You’re perfectly fine, Ladot. It’s quite adorable to see you so excited,” Allura assured him.

He shook his head, sinking in his chair as he resumed eating. “No, n-no, if I ramble w-we’ll be here l-longer than we need to b-be…”

“We have more than enough time to spend, I’m sure. It will more than likely take a while to adjust the comms system with the new equipment and I’d think that’s something better done in the evening. In the meantime, we ought to enjoy ourselves. We’ve been through a lot.”

Ladot perked up a bit. He had finished eating and reached for the bag of stuff he’d bought from the market. He went to pull something out of it but dropped it when his hand shot up to his ruined eye, wincing. He looked up at the two of them, and noticing Allura having seen it, he said, “… Y-You can ask if you want…”

“Ladot, we don’t think less of you for your injury, if that’s what you think. You’re still very important, despite that.”

“D-During training, my commander t-told me not to hide it after I-I got it. H-He said that it showed the world what I’ve survived. I-I don’t think you think l-less of me, ma’am. I-I just noticed you looking.”

Lotor shifted in his chair, crossing his arms. The quote from his commander reminded him of earlier memories. A soft frown touched his lips. Galrans wore their scars like badges. He had so many himself that he couldn’t hide them if he wanted to.

“It seems like it bothers you, and the pain that’s probably constantly there isn’t an enjoyable reminder either, I’m sure,” she said. “I don’t look upon it with some morbid curiosity, Ladot. I look upon it in worry. Injuries like yours remind me of just how far we still have to go before we can reach a point where so many people aren’t focused on the pain that others have inflicted on them.”

Ladot’s fingers curled a little, shivering. “I-It doesn’t… hurt… It gets itchy and n-numb,” he said with much difficulty, breathing in and out.

He was experiencing phantom feelings — feeling missing limbs after they were separated or rendered useless. In Ladot’s case, it was his eyes. It looked to have been burned out, whether by fire or electricity. Lotor heard similar stories from his time in a leadership position. Soldiers and sentries always bore the worst of it.

Allura’s eyes fell. “I apologize. I have to say that I’m not well acquainted with other cultural perceptions of injuries,” she explained.

“Y-You don’t have to a-apologize, ma’am!” he assured her, giving her a weak smile. “If y-you want to know, I can try to explain it to you.”

Internally, a single phrase spoke in Ladot’s head as the memory flared up: _What was the last thing you saw in that eye?_ He seemed to lock up at the sound of that question and even begin to tremble.

Lotor leaned against the table. “Ladot, if you’re uncomfortable with it, you don’t have to say anything. We won’t pry if you do not wish to recount it to us.”

Ladot nodded slowly, “O-Okay,” he whispered, blinking now and easing up as he buried the member. It was an exhausting process and caused him to yawn. “I-If… I-If it’s alright with both of you, I-I would like to return to the ship to work on the r-radio.”

“Feel free,” Allura said. “I doubt any of us want to try and spend the night of the ship, admittedly. Perhaps we can try to find a place to stay the night here in the market. Although, all I can see are tents.”

“Yes, the majority is caravans, tents, and other ships. But, that doesn’t even address that most of the owners wouldn’t be that generous to strangers,” Lotor said, giving a passive look around them. “It’s probably safer on our ship in the evenings, too.”

Allura sighed. “We’re stuck on our ship, it seems, then.”

Ladot slid out of the seat and pulled began across his shoulders. “I-I’m going to h-head back now. P-Please knock on the h-hatch when you return.”

He started without another word and it wasn’t long before he was lost in the thinning afternoon crowd.

“… That seemed a little off,” Lotor admitted, furrowing his brow. “I hope he’s alright.”

Allura looked at her hands. “I hope I didn’t upset him. I thought he seemed like he wanted to tell me about it. I only really started to think about only after he brought it up. You don’t think I acted too open, do you? Do you think that I’m too easily lead into letting my guard down?”

“Allura, if you were so easily trusting, you would have let me out of my cell the second I came to join your side.” He meant that as kindly as he could manage. He did not blame her for being hostile towards him at first at all, considering the nature of their previous encounters. In his head, that made the bond they shared a little more meaningful to him. Seeing past everything that happened, and managing to form a friendship despite the objections of the other members of Voltron was much better in the long run than blindly trusting him without reason.

“I suppose you could say that I reacted that way since you were, after all, the proclaimed son of Zarkon. That’s admittedly not an aspect you can easily let slip past, but…” and she trailed briefly, she reached over and laid a hand on his. “… I’ve come to learn you’re nothing like your father. You’re so much more.”

The Prince’s heart jolted a little when he felt his hand touch his. The feeling spread through his chest, though he kept the external response at a minimum. He turned his head slightly towards their hands before looking up at her. “Thank you,” he said softly, reaching over his other hand and adding it to their hold. “That means a lot to me, Princess.”

“I know how much it helps to have a friend you can trust. Given what we’ve been through this far,” and as she concluded the sentence, her voice quieted a great deal, taking care to treat her next words with sensitivity. “I’m glad you were the one who stayed on that ship with me.”

He glanced away and said as if there was no room for argument, “I couldn’t leave you there alone. Not when they had sadistic interrogators like Madok on board.” He was quiet for a moment, say for a heavy sigh. “… Thank you for coming back for me.”

“Gods, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I knew that you were still on that ship. I already saw what just a few minutes did to you. The chances of us saving you later… and the chances of me surviving on my own, well… I’d rather not think about it.”

“Still, thank you,” he insisted before chuckling. “Truth be told, I was praying more than I had ever done before that you’d make it off the ship alright. I don’t think I ever wished for anything more in my life.” He ran his thumb over her knuckles absentmindedly. “When I felt you carry me away from that place, I…” He trailed off, unsure of his words.

“I made you a promise in that cell that I wouldn’t leave you, Lotor. I would have rather spent days on that ship alone if it meant I still had a fighting chance of rescuing you.” Her expression softened to one of deeper reflection as her vision narrowed to her hands. “I could have left you there, sure, but then they could have…” She paled and shivered at the thought. “But that’s not what happened. We’re both away from them now and we still have a fighting chance. I’d consider that a victory any day.”

Lotor sat back in his chair. He couldn’t remember anything other than the world around him continuing. He couldn’t hear or see anything aside from the cursed images in his head and then a warmth through that cold that made him snap back to reality just enough to let his instincts kick in. _Defend your allies. Attack your enemies. Run._

He nodded finally. “We’re away from that ship. Our next step is finding your teammates.”

Allura frowned. “They’re yours, too,” she said pointedly. “Even if they don’t always seem like it, they are. I know it’ll take time for them to get used to the idea of working so closely with you, but I trust they’ll come to understand you more.”

“Even Lance?” Lotor asked with a small laugh.

“Yes, Lance, too. He’s… overprotective at times, and he feels it necessary to place himself into situations where my emotional well-being is concerned. He means well. They all do.”

“Emotional well-being?” he asked as if it jarred him a little.

“I imagine he wishes to see me happy. In all honesty, the last few months have been the most life-changing for me with everything that has happened. I dreamed I’d end up leading a nearly universe-wide coalition. My father was a natural-born leader. I, on the other, am not.”

“I beg to different,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Being a leader isn’t just being at the head of a massive following, Allura. It’s about inspiring unity and direction. I’ve seen you draw in people from all across the galaxy to join your cause and fight back against Zarkon. You gave them something to hope and hold onto. They look up to you, not only as a leader but as a trusted friend.”

“Thank you,” she murmured. “Gods, I’m always worried that I won’t be able to live up to everything that the universe requires of me. So many people rely on me already and it makes me deathly afraid of messing up.

Lotor gave her hand another squeeze. “You won’t,” he assured her. “I know you won’t, Allura.”

“I have nightmares about it,” she admitted to him. “I see myself making some sort of mistake that would unravel everything so many people have worked so hard to achieve. It would send up spiraling towards the same tyranny we’ve been trying to move away from.”

“You are not alone on that. I have my doubts about ruling over the Empire. I fear letting the rebelling forces, like Sendak’s fleets, take over everything and snuff out all the progress we’ve sacrificed so much for. But, those thoughts cannot deter us. We must continue to fight for what we believe in. Peace is a stronger force than even a seemingly everlasting war.”

She brushed away a stray tear from her eye before taking a deep breath. “I apologize. I care very deeply about what we’ve accomplished so far. I treasure the trust that people have placed upon us, and…” She looked up at the Prince. “Lotor, I think one of the reasons I enjoy your presence so much is that I stop feeling like this weight is mine to bear alone. You take some of the weight off of my shoulders and I can barely begin to tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“Don’t apologize for caring, Allura.”

He said her name with a voice that he almost did not believe to be his own. It was gentle and came from a deeper part of his chest, one he couldn’t quite place.

“And I do promise you— you are not alone in this. I will stand by your side through whatever storm may come our way. You have my word.”

Allura smiled sadly. “And I couldn’t ask for more. I owe you so much.”

“I owe you much as well. Truth be told, I do not think that I would have made it this far without you.”


	5. Contact with the Castle

Lotor and Allura returned to the ship as the planet’s two suns finished out their dance beyond the horizon. The Prince and Princess shared smiles warmly and talked with one another like old friends. By the time they had reached the ramp leading into the cabin of the ship, there was little space between them, and they didn’t separate until Ladot came out from beneath the main controls of the ship to retrieve another tool from the several kits scattered around his feet. He’d taken off the upper part of his armor to make it easier to crawl below the panels, wearing now a greyish-purple undershirt. Although Allura and Lotor noticed the small Galra, he didn’t notice him and went right back to work as if he had nothing to worry about.

The Prince and Princess exchanged glances before they looked forward. “Ladot?” Allura asked quietly, as not to scare the sentry at his work. “How are the modifications so far?”

“Hmm? Oh!” He pulled himself out once again, shaking out his fur matted with dirt and dust. “I j-just finished putting the cover back on, ma’am!”

“Oh, that’s very good,” she replied. “Let’s give it a whirl, shall we?” She approached the controls of the comms unit and started to work at tuning the frequencies to the ones commonly used by the paladins, a concentrated look up her face. The system crackled as it adjusted to the newly-installed circuits but powered on flawless.

“We’ll get a better f-frequency when we leave orbit. A lot of the c-comms is bombarded b-by advertisements.”

“I suppose it’s easy to forget we are on a market planet. Do you think you can take us out just far out enough to get away from them?”

Ladot nodded, sitting down in the pilot's chair as he reached for the controls. The other brace up against the wall of the ship as it rises out of its cloud of dust. Allura focused on gradually adjusting the dials as they left the planet’s atmosphere, her head tilting so her ears faced the speakers. She could make a very weak sound through them. _A… Can… He… Vol…_

Her eyebrows furrowed as she leaned in closer over the device. She messed around with the dials some more before. “Paladins? This is Princess Allura. Can you read me?”

There was a sharp shrill of static as they reached the threshold of the local broadcasts before Lance’s voice came clearly over the radio, sounding frantic. “Allura? Allura, can you hear me?”

“Yes! I can hear you now,” she replied quickly as she tried everything to strengthen the signal. “Lock onto this frequency and send me your coordinates, please.”

“Holy— Alright, I’m getting your coordinates now. Guys! Guys, I found her!”

“Good to know. We’ll set a course for your position immediately. Gods, am I ready to be back on at the castle…”

Lotor patted Ladot on the shoulder, making the young sentry jump a little. “Ladot, you are truly our savior.”

Ladot set a course for the coordinates as they appeared on the console above him. His face flushed blue as he heard him speak. “O-Oh, I’m n-no savior, sir. I-I’m just a follower.”

“Regardless, this was your part to play and you did so wonderfully. You have our deepest thanks.”

Allura was lost in thinking about being in her bed for a night. It seemed like a dream more than anything else. “We’ll finally be safe again,” she said, taking a breath of relief. She couldn’t shake the glowing grin on her face that came to life as she thought of seeing the castle, and it only grew larger when she saw the actual thing.

Ladot stared in utter amazement. “Wow…”

“Ladot, welcome to the Castle of Lions. This is the home of the Paladins of Voltron,” she told him.

“It’s beautiful…” he murmured.

“This is the pride of Altea. My father’s lifetime went into the upbringing of his place and the protection it gave to the universe. It is King Alfor’s legacy, no doubt. Voltron is the embodiment of his dedication and service to all the good people of the universe.”

It wasn’t long after the Galran ship came to land in one of the hangers and the ship powered down. The hatch opened and the ramp extended to the floor, where the Paladins and Coran had gathered.

Ladot had been the first to attempt to leave the ship, but he froze at the top at the sight of the crowd. Allura came beside him and placed a supportive hand on his back before waving at the others. “There’s nothing to be afraid of here,” she told him.

The young Galra stepped with her down the length of the ship’s ramp, a wave of excitement and fear washing over her. Coran broke through the crowd and embraced Allura without hesitation, the ever-faithful adviser bursting into tears.

Allura returned the gesture, at first taken aback from being grabbed so quickly, but she fitted into it. She patted Coran’s back, laughing.

Shiro stepped forward next, turning slightly to take role of the others in the room before he caught sight of Lotor. They exchanged glances, neither willing to give away any thoughts. Shiro crossed his arms, waiting for Allura and Coran to finish their moment.

“My apologies, Princess,” Coran said, wiping his eyes as he pulled away. “I’m just so relieved to see you’re alright.” He spotted Ladot, who flinched and hid behind Lotor without thinking. “Who is this?”

Allura smiled, turning to the entire crowd. “Everyone,” he announced cheerfully. She gestured to him with her arm. “This is Ladot,” she started. “He’s a Galran sentry that helped Lotor and I escaped from the frigate after they captured us. He’s also the reason why we managed to get a comms radio powerful enough to reach the castle. Please show him all the affection and respect you can muster because he certainly has earned it and so much more.

Ladot, not expecting the sudden introduction, nervously appeared from behind Lotor and waved at the other Paladins. He could not manage to bring his arms up to look at the others. He raised his hand. “H-Hello… I-I am…” he started, swallowing as he tried to get himself to speak. After some effort, he managed to smile. “My name’s Ladot!”

Shiro offered a proud smile and an extended hand towards Ladot at his attempt at an introduction, stepping forward until he stood a few feet from him. “Ladot, my name is Takashi Shirogane, but you can call me Shiro. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am that you brought the Princess back to us safely. The universe is in your debt.”

Ladot stared up at him in awe and then at the robotic arm attached to him. He recognized the technology instantly. Still, this amount of respect from an authority figure? He must have died and gone somewhere peacefully. He took his hand and shook it. “P-Please to m-meet you, sir.”

“I’m sure you’ve had it rough the last two days, so Keith, the red Paladin, is going to show you where you can stay.”

In saying this, Shiro turned his focus to Keith, who had been glancing away with his arms crossed in the same fashion as Shiro before snapping to attention, not taking very long to recognize the task that had been placed upon him. “Fine, come on, little guy,” he muttered in defeat, turning and walking back towards the doors leading deeper into the castle.

Ladot beamed. He was almost certain now this was heaven. He smiled at Shiro and nodded before stepping forward towards Keith.

Shiro made his way over to Allura as she finished her conversation with Coran. “Princess, I’m sure you’ve had it just as hard, too. You should go rest, too,” he insisted, exchanging another long glance with Lotor, who watched from the side.

Allura frowned, picking up on the exchange. “I understand your concern, Shiro, but I’m alright. There are things that Lotor and I need to tell you before anything can move forward.”

He sighed and thought for a moment, before shaking his head. “Still, rest for a few hours and we’ll discuss it over our meal tonight.”

Coran nodded. “I agree with Shiro. You must have exhausted after the kind of adventure you’ve had, Princess.”

Allura’s frown deepened but he nodded to them. “Alright, I’ll head to my quarters, then.” She folded her hands in front of her as she turned her head to look over at Lotor with an aching desire for his company now that they had returned to safety.

Shiro glanced behind his shoulder once the Princess passed him before setting his eyes on Lotor briefly. The other Paladins and even Coran had begun to move off enough for him to feel like he had bided his time well.

Lotor closed the distance, a bit to Shiro’s surprise. “Do you have something you want to say to me, Paladin?” he asked in a monotone voice.

Shiro tightened his arms across his chest pensively, bringing his eyes to meet Lotor’s directly once more. “There’s not a lot I can say,” he started, voice restricted to being informative, “other than that you brought her home safely and that you deserve some thanks for that.”

The Prince stood up a bit straighter, putting his hands behind his back to give himself a look of someone willing to stand their ground. “I would not have left her there,” he insisted, although he did well to hold any conflict in his voice back.

“I imagine you were separated at some point,” Shiro said as he shifted his weight.

Lotor tensed up at the reminder of the moment of their separation, but he steeled himself. “Yes, we were.”

“How did you rejoin each other?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, looking down. “I remember them dragging me out of the cell after I helped her escape through a ventilation shaft. She somehow located me and freed me from the—” and he stopped to shudder, “—horrid torture device.”

“Despite the risk, she went back for you instead of saving herself first?”

Shiro delivered the last question with an experienced level of care. If it had been anyone else delivering it, the rush of tension, confusion, and slight frustration would have spilled over, but instead, it was a statement of praise for Allura’s bravery and cunning, completely overlooking any thoughts regarding how the person she saved had been Lotor.

Lotor returned his eyes to meet Shiro’s. “Yes, she did.” The fact still had him reeling. He knew that she had promised she would come back for him, but he still hadn’t expected it given the situation they were in. She did risk her own life to save him. It left an unfamiliar, yet not intolerable feeling balled up in his chest.

“I suppose you should count yourself lucky,” Shiro said, although the words left his lips too easily for his taste, and cursed himself for it before letting his eyes look away. “I can imagine you haven’t had much rest either, so feel free to take it easy for a few hours. Though, at some point, I’ll want a better idea of really took place on that ship.”

Lotor didn’t respond beyond a curt nod and a turned head. He started towards the doors leading deeper into the castle now, passing Shiro. Up until now, he had been careful not to let his injuries show, but he chose to let Shiro the cuts on his lower lip, the electrical burns on the side of his armor, and the faded bruises along his jaw. He knew there wasn’t a lot he could say or do on that matter, but all he could think about despite Shiro was Allura.

He found Allura’s door to be slightly opened. Through the gap, he made out a sliver of the Altean princess sitting cross-legged in her bed. Some kind of book or journal rested in her hands, and from the look of her attire, she already showered. What attracted him most was the normally sophisticated bun was let loose, laying gently against the upper part of her shoulders and back.

He knocked on the door quietly, as not to startle her. “Princess?” he asked.

Allura looked up at him, registering both the person and the voice with a pleasant smile. “Lotor,” she greeted, letting the book lay flat against her lap. “Come in.”

He stepped inside, letting the door slide shut behind him. His hands found their place behind his back. “I wanted to check on you,” he told her, “and see how you’re doing after that little adventure we had.”

“Oh?” she mused with a soft and sweet giggle. She saw through his game – a person like Lotor often didn’t visit to make small talk without something else motivating him. “I can assure you that I’m quite alright. That shower did me wonders. I feel like I could handle two more adventures now.” She observed him, mellowing at the slight winces that she caught onto. “Admittedly, it should have been me who checked on you, after all. Are you still in pain? If you’d like, I could try to heal those burns, if they’re bothering you.”

Lotor looked down at his side, seeing where the stun baton had bored a hole through his flight suit just below his arm. Moving his arm sent sharp jolts of pain up his body. “As much as I would appreciate it, the means of getting to the burn might require a bit more personal contact. I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Nonsense,” she said, beckoning him over. “I may be a princess, but I am nowhere near as delicate as I might seem sometimes. Besides, your health is important and well worth risking myself to a bit of indecency for a few seconds.” She paused for a moment as her cheeks reddened. “Unless, of course, your injuries extend… well beyond what would be considered proper? If… if that is the case, then I can provide you with the medicines so that you might apply them privately.”

His brows raised at what she seemed to be implying before he quickly dismissed it with a fervent shake of his head. “Oh, goodness, no, no. It’s not that far, stars, no.”

“Right, well, I can see what I can manage to do, then.”

The Galran Prince stepped over to her, almost hesitating for a moment. He reached behind him, brows creasing. He found the latch on the back of his armor and the pieces came loose with an audible click. He winced as the pain from exposure rushed over him.

Allura reached out a motherly hand. “Easy now,” she whispered as soothingly as she could. She pulled away each piece as it separated from the set and set it on the floor. “Just take a minute to adjust. I’m sure your body is reacting pretty harshly now that it isn’t cooped up in that armor, but it’ll start to feel better now that it can breathe.”

He gave a shaky first breath, eyeing the pile of scorched metal that took the brunt of the torture. He’d have to grind those out of the armor later, or at least place in an order for a new set… his third order. Without the added weight, he couldn’t ignore the throbbing of his wounds.

The Princess settled back, letting her hands fall loosely “Lotor, I feel like I can’t thank you enough for staying behind with me. I still feel that injuries are partially my fault. It could have all been avoided if I hadn’t made so many foolish decisions.”

The Prince dared to sit beside her on the bed. “Do not blame yourself, Allura. What happened was not your fault. Yes, the mission did not go exactly as we had planned, but it is necessary to be ready for the worst. None of us knew that Sendak had another frigate and a slew of fighters on standby.”

“Still, I…” she started, but stopped to take a nervous breath. “I suppose you’re right, but it bothers me greatly that you’re in so much pain.”

He shook his head. “I’ll be alright. The scars I’ve acquired show how much I’ve survived and a lot of them come from far worse injuries than this.”

Allura hung on her words, looking up at him as if to study them and him before looking away, her voice lowering. “I do not see how you can treat scars as a matter of pride. Ladot made a similar admission during our meal on that planet and… I simply do not understand it.” She shuddered, turning her head to stare into the palms of her hands, almost in shame. “Scars are a reminder of how much farther we must go before we reach the kind of universe that I and so many others want to live in. It brings me pain to see the scars of others. Especially yours, even if I did not have as much of a hand in it as you claim.”

He rested a hand against her arm. “I treat them as a matter of pride as much as I treat them a reminder to do better. It drives me forward, so the pains of the past might fade away as the scars do. We must keep moving forward and remind ourselves that we survived.”

Allura looked up into Lotor’s eyes, helplessness and emotion running across her face. Her form slumped as her gaze returned to her hands. “Lotor,” she started quietly. “I want you to be honest with me. Did you think that I would not come back for you?”

He was taken back, shifting his eyes away from hers to stare down at the comforter on the bed. “I… I do not know,” he admitted, shame tinging his delivery. “I know you made it clear that you were not going to, but as soon as I locked the panel back in place, you getting away safely became all that I cared about.”

“You care about me too much, I think,” she replied. “Gods, it makes my heart flutter to know that you do, but Shiro said something that made me start thinking. It made me realize that I do often place you in a higher position than the others tend to, and in all honesty, I don’t know the reason for it. I do believe you deserve a fighting chance to be trusted, just as I’ve given to everyone else, we’ve met. I never want to treat a person, regardless of what their true intentions are, as an enemy first.”

He felt that familiar pull in his chest again, the same flutter she talked about. It felt warm. He smiled. “And I thank you for having faith in me and giving me a chance to explain myself while the others pressed to discredit me.” He put his hand over hers now. “And for saving my life, I am forever in your debt, Princess.”


End file.
